Khaberni -Saudi Arabia achieved a new tourism superiority as it topped the global position as the top tourist destination in terms of growth rate of international tourist revenues in the first quarter of 2025, compared to the same period in 2019, according to the United Nations World Tourism Organization, and the country's tourism status was reinforced by 10 attractive elements that doubled the presence of the kingdom within the lists of global destinations such as: "The hub of linking the 3 continents - Quality of life - Tourist visa - Religious tourism - Security indicators - Diversity of destinations - Natural reserves - Solid infrastructure - Tourism marketing - Smart applications - ".
Returning to the report announced by the United Nations World Tourism Organization, Saudi Arabia ranked third globally in the growth rate of international tourists number in the first quarter of 2025 compared to the first quarter of 2019, and second in the region for the same period.
Earlier, Samer Al-Kharashi, the first Saudi official appointed as the director of the regional office of the United Nations World Tourism Organization for "Alarabiya.net," confirmed that the Saudi tourism sector is very promising, seeing that the sector enjoys a significant volume of notable opportunities.
The official attributes the presence of Saudi tourism on the global scene to the executive programs of Vision 2030, as well as massive projects, and the cultural and economic impact of the country, considering that Saudi Arabia's investment in small tourism projects, such as cultural community tours and improving local hospitality services, indicates its commitment to diversifying tourist offerings and enhancing sustainable and culturally rich experiences.
Based on the Saudi official's speech, the advance of Saudi Arabia among the lists of global tourist destinations comes as a result of a long-term plan set by the country, doubling due to the alignment of the Quality of Life program initiatives with the tourism system in the country.
The hub of linking the 3 continents
Saudi Arabia seized the opportunities provided by its strategic geographical location, being the most important gateway to the world as a hub linking the three continents and surrounded by some of the most important waterways according to the "2030 Vision declaration," as the country enjoys multiple geographical, civilizational, social, demographic, and economic characteristics, making it a destination for those eager to explore opportunities, which is also part of a broader framework called "business tourism."
Quality of life
Since the launch of the Quality of Life program in 2018, as one of the Vision 2030 programs, Saudi Arabia has been experiencing the convening of global sports and entertainment events that have gained widespread fame, providing the citizen and the resident the opportunity to attend festivals and global sports and artistic events held for the first time, creating a better quality of life through the preparation and invention of a diverse range of options across all sectors.
Tourist visa
Among the tourist attractions, Saudi Arabia launched the tourist visa in 2019, thus opening its doors to tourists aiming to diversify its economy, when the Saudi Minister of Tourism, Ahmed Al Khateeb, described it as a "historical moment for our country." In the same context, the processing of the Saudi electronic visa takes 24 hours until it is issued, and is now available to citizens of 65 eligible countries, which provides greater ease in travel procedures and access to the Kingdom.
Religious tourism
In the same vein, religious tourism in Saudi Arabia holds a prominent place, as it attracts Muslims from around the world to perform the Hajj and Umrah rituals, and visit the holy sites, while this type of tourism options contributed about 50% of inbound tourism in 2023.
Security indicators
Talking about tourism products is not separate from security, as Saudi Arabia topped the G20 countries, as the percentage of people who feel safe while walking alone at night in their residential areas reached 92.6%, and thus enhancing the sense of security for the tourist who intends to experience leisure destinations and historical places in the country.
Diversity of destinations
At the same time, Saudi Arabia provides tourists with a wide range of options that meet the interests of all segments, as history enthusiasts will be on schedule to explore rich sites such as Al-Ula, Diriyah, Historic Jeddah, and the Al-Ahsa oasis, as well as multiple historic inscriptions some of which date back to the Neolithic and Bronze Ages, and found in ancient human settlement sites in Saudi Arabia, like the Shuwaymis site in the Hail region, Al-Faw village in the Riyadh region, and Hima Well in the Najran region.
While those interested in deserts and mountains find a rich and diverse natural environment in Saudi Arabia. As for beach lovers, the kingdom boasts coastlines considered among the most beautiful in the region and the world, including the Red Sea coastlines that encompass natural islands, as well as the Eastern coastlines offering a unique beach experience.
Natural reserves
Saudi Arabia is also rich with natural reserves that represent distinctive environmental tourist destinations, as their number reaches about 23 natural reserves, and the total area of all natural reserves is about 16.86% of the country's area, providing opportunities to enjoy the beauty of nature and the diversity of wildlife, manifested in reserves like the royal reserves, reserves under the National Center for Wildlife Development, in addition to reserves under the Royal Commission for AlUla.
Solid infrastructure
Likewise, the characteristics of the infrastructure in the Saudi tourism sector have seen significant development, which experts consider a rapid attraction element that enhances the kingdom's ability to attract tourists, as Saudi Arabia owns modern airports, such as King Khalid International Airport, and King Salman Airport expected to be one of the largest airports with an area of 57 km2 and 6 parallel runways, in addition to a wide range of accommodation options, from luxury hotels to hotel apartments and resorts.
Entertainment seasons
Saudi Arabia's entertainment seasons have taken a global position in the entertainment industry map, while the events of these seasons target all age groups, giving the visitor exceptional entertainment experiences, and the season itself in its fifth edition achieved about 20 million visitors, for the first time in its history since its launch in 2019, reflecting the unprecedented turnout for the season's events, compared to what it achieved in its first season in 2019, as it then reached about 10 million visitors, an increase of 100%.
Tourism marketing
Despite the data of the tourism sector, the sector itself continuously invests opportunities for marketing for the benefit of tourist destinations in international travel exhibitions, aiming to enhance business partnerships, and promote investment opportunities in the Saudi tourism sector which continues to achieve sustainable growth through organized campaigns such as "Saudi Spirit" and "Saudi Summer."
These data altogether shape the visitor’s experience to Saudi Arabia, while digital transformation trajectories enhance the growth reality of the sector, as smart applications are one of the most vital drivers of the tourism sector, to explore destinations and heritage, cultural, and entertainment sites in the country even before the issuance of the tourist visa for the interested tourist, with the most notable ones being: "Tawakkalna" app - "We Book" app - "Event Maps" app.
The Ministry of Tourism, in cooperation with governmental and private entities, continues to develop and integrate digital services, ensuring a safe and complete experience for visitors, achieving high levels of attractiveness and satisfaction, contributing to the efficiency of tourism spending and attracting visitors from various regional and global markets.
Furthermore, the tourism sector is one of the most important pillars of achieving Vision 2030 for the Kingdom, contributing to diversifying the base of the national economy and reducing dependence on oil. The tourism ecosystem includes the Ministry of Tourism, Tourism Development Fund, Saudi Tourism Authority, Saudi Red Sea Authority, Aerial Connectivity Program, and the Tourism Development Council, all established according to the highest international standards, to integrate their roles to achieve the ambitions and targets of this vital sector and support its growth and prosperity.
